The Golden State Warriors did not have the best of the nights in the NBA Cup quarterfinals, falling to the Houston Rockets in a nail-biter. The 91-90 loss ended their 15-game win streak against Houston and exposed some familiar problems with their late-game execution. They were up by six with just over two minutes to go but let Houston go on a 7-0 run, thanks to some costly turnovers, a shot clock violation, and missed chances. Closing games has been a big issue for them all season, and it came back to bite them again.

Warriors' Buddy Hield, Brandin Podziemski, and Gary Payton II involved in argument after NBA Cup elimination

Brandin Podziemski, Gary Payton II, and Buddy Hield (Image Credit: X/@warriorsworld)

Tensions flared in the fourth quarter as Warriors guards Buddy Hield, Brandin Podziemski, and Gary Payton II argued following a defensive mix-up. That miscommunication gave Jabari Smith Jr. and Fred VanVleet just enough room to hit clutch threes, wiping out the Warriors’ lead.

Hield had 15 points on 6-of-12 shooting, including three from deep, while Podziemski chipped in eight points and five boards in 30 minutes. Payton II was solid on defense with seven rebounds and two steals, but the lack of chemistry between the three was costly.

The Warriors struggled offensively late in the game, with Steph Curry missing a crucial three and the team shooting 31.6% from deep, while the Rockets, despite shooting just 22.2% from three, dominated the paint with a 58-40 scoring advantage led by Alperen Sengun’s 26 points. On the bright side for the Warriors, Buddy Hield became the second-fastest player to hit 2,000 threes, and Jonathan Kuminga led the team with 20 points and seven rebounds in 36 minutes.

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Warriors’ Steve Kerr Sounds Off On The Refs And Team’s Mistakes

After the game, head coach Steve Kerr didn’t hold back on the officiating, especially a late-game foul call on Jonathan Kuminga during a loose-ball scramble.

“I’ve never seen a loose-ball foul on a jump-ball situation, 80 feet from the basket, with the game on the line,” Kerr said. “Just give them a timeout. Let the players decide the game.” He also pointed out a missed call earlier on a Curry three-point attempt that could’ve been a game-changer.

That said, Kerr didn’t sugarcoat his team’s mistakes either. They turned the ball over three times in the final three minutes, including a crucial misstep by Draymond Green. The Warriors also struggled in the paint, got out-hustled on second-chance points (18-12), and made poor shot choices down the stretch. Shooting just 42.5% overall didn’t help either.

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The Warriors don’t have much time to dwell on their loss as they prepare for Sunday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks. With Klay Thompson expected to return, averaging 18.4 points per game and shooting 42.3% from beyond the arc, along with Luka Doncic playing at an MVP level with 32.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 8.1 assists per game, and Kyrie Irving contributing 25.7 points, it certainly won’t be a cakewalk for the Warriors. Sitting at 14-10 and struggling with a 3-7 record in their last 10 games, the Warriors must clean up their late-game execution and shore up their defense to stay competitive in the Western Conference.